Cyber laws in India
(A) As per the Indian
Information Technology Act 2000, Chapter XI Para 67, the
Government of India clearly considers online pornography as a punishable offence. The Para states the following -
Para 67 - Publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form
Whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published in the electronic form, any material which is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect is such as to tend to deprave
and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it, shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees and in the event of a second or subsequent conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and also with fine which may extend to two lakh rupees.
(B) The Indian Penal Code, 1860 section 293 also specifies, in clear terms, the law against Sale etc. of obscene objects to minors. As per the IPC Act:
Section 293 - " Sale, etc. of obscene objects to young persons - Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object, as is referred to in IPC Section 292 (definition given below), or offers of attempts so to do, shall be punished (on first conviction with imprisonment or either description for a term which may extend to three years, and which fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees)"
As per IPC, 1860, Section 292 -
For the purposes of sub-section (2), a book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting representation, figure or any other object, shall be deemed to be obscene if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect, or (where it comprises two or more distinct items) the effect of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.
Whom to report
If you find yourself in a situation where you suspect on-line exploitation of your child, you are requested to contact the nearest Police Station for help.
Links to Websites of Some Police Departments